Mounted search and rescue

["Irvin Lichtenstein " <ilichten1@verizon.net>]

I would presume it depends a lot on how the MSAR is organized.  Those that
are part of a police department or fire department would adhere to the
parent department's physical exam policy.  For instance most fire or EMA
based units might use NFPA 1500 series health and safety standards while
police based units would use the police department's equivalent.  NGO's
might use anything.  

I can tell you that imposing such standards can be catastrophic in nature to
the unit once formed and may be to the members.  Our fire relief
organization decided to fund physicals for every member of the volunteer
fire department and then required a clearance to run under NFPA 1500. The
physicals were administered by the occupational health section of a local
hospital which does physicals for many township public works and police
departments.  About one third of the volunteer firefighters failed the exam,
many having hospitalizations result.  Some were forcibly retired, others
sidelined for over a year until the issues could be resolved.  Many lost
insurance coverage, became uninsurable, and lost employment or reemployment 
possibilities because they now had conditions that kept them out of normal
group medical coverage or "normal duty" at their regular jobs, most of which
they had been functioning at normally for years.  

These were cases of deteriorated hearing, reduced lung capacity, having a
cardiac incident on a stress test, having to wear corrective lenses to pass
eye exams, age related problems from taking a physical designed for 20 year
olds at age 60, etc. 

In one extreme case a member whose heart capacity was reduced, and evidence
indicated it had been for as much as 20 years, was deemed uninsurable even
by the high risk carrier the fire company uses and lost over $500 000 in on
duty only AD&D coverage, but was not eligible for disability benefits.  His
health insurance premium and co-pays just doubled under the only plan that
will take him, Adult Basic Care, a state government run program for
uninsured adults who don't qualify for free under Medicade.  

Many volunteer riders are older, retired persons, or at least middle aged,
who have grew up smoking, drinking, working hard and playing hard and their
health reflects this abuse.  Many of us ride because we can't hike through
the woods anymore, or at least not as many miles as we used to.  

You have to be in reasonably good shape to tack up a horse, particularly
with a big, heavy, western roping rig and all the stuff we carry.  If you
impose a standard beyond, "Don't be a hazard to your team mates," and
enforce it with physicals you will loose riders, and experience you cannot
afford to loose. 

Irv Lichtenstein 
SE PA SAR    

-----Original Message-----
From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Una Smith
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 4:04 PM
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Cc: Steve Hudson
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Fitness Requirements for MSAR Unit Members

Steve Hudson wrote:
>I'd like to know what MSAR units require for member physical or 
>aerobic fitness to perform mounted SAR.  You can reply off list if you 
>prefer.
>
>Thanks.
>
>
>***********************************************************************
>Steve Hudson
>
>Vice President: Maine Association for Search and Rescue
>Member:         Mount Desert Island Search and Rescue
>                        Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
>
>P.O. Box 1266
>Southwest Harbor, Maine  04679
><shudsonme@myfairpoint.net>
>207-244-9936 Home
>207-244-9591 Work

Hi Steve, 

I am forwarding this to MSAR-Riders@lists.ibiblio.org.  Please share
with us a summary of the responses you get.

Thanks,

        Una Smith
        New Mexico
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